By: by Jason Hanes
Box Score
KENNESAW, Ga. - Sophomore Angie Smith had 16 points and a career-high seven assists as the Kennesaw State women's basketball team pulled within four against Atlantic Sun Conference-leading Florida Gulf Coast in the final four minutes before bowing 75-64 in an A-Sun game Saturday evening at the KSU Convocation Center.
KSU (5-15, 2-9) clamped down defensively along the perimeter in the second half. After FGCU (16-4, 11-1) connected on eight 3-point shots in the first 20 minutes, KSU let the visitors hit just two in the final 20 minutes.
Trailing 54-42 with 11:15 to go, the Lady Owls started to slowly chip away at the FGCU lead. Back-to-back buckets by Smith and Sametria Gideon brought the Lady Owls within eight, 54-46. The lead hovered around the nine-point mark for the next three minutes but KSU rallied again. A bruising possession in the paint ended with a bucket by DeAndrea Bullock to cut the lead to seven with 7:25 to go. Thirty seconds later, a steal by Gia Lockett resulted in a fast-break lay-up to trim the lead to five, 60-55. After two free throws by FGCU's Adrianne McNally, who scored a game-high 25 points, Gideon connected from the paint and Tamasha Bolden sank a free-throw to cut the lead to four, 62-58, with 4:32 left.
The teams swapped baskets, with Smith and Lockett hitting on jumpers to keep the Lady Owls within four. KSU had a chance to cut the lead to two, but Gideon and Lockett each missed jumpers and FGCU was able to grab possession and get to the foul line. In the final 2:30 of the contest, KSU would miss a shot and FGCU would make free-throws on the other end as the Eagles scored seven of their last nine points from the charity stripe.
KSU out-rebounded the Eagles 34-30, but FGCU scored 16 second-chance points to 12 for the Lady Owls. Both teams scored 26 points in the paint, but FGCU out-scored the Lady Owls from outside the arc, 30-15.
A trio of Lady Owls scored in double-figures, as Lockett added 13 and Brandi Jones had 10. Gideon narrowly missed a double-double, scoring nine points and grabbing a team-high 10 rebounds.
McNally's 25 points led FGCU, while Shannon Murphy scored 18 and Kelsey Jacobson had 16.
The Lady Owls will be back in action this Monday as they face Stetson in an A-Sun contest. Tip-off is now scheduled for 5:15, changed from the original start time of 5 p.m.
